Switch handle



March 21, 1939. F. H. TRA VERS 5 6 SWITCH HANDLE Filed June 9, 1938 Inventor; Fred HTravers.

His Attorny Patented Mar. 21, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SWITCH HAN DLE,

Fred H. Travers, Milford, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 9, 1938, Serial No. 212,745

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to handles for operating the shafts of electrical apparatus such as electric switches;

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in handles of this type which employs a minimum of parts and which may be secured to an operating shaft quickly and easily, without the use of additional tools.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a handle embodying the invention mounted on an electric switch; Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views through the handle showing the manner of attaching the handle to an operating shaft; and Fig. 4 is an exploded view of parts of the switch handle.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral III indicates an electrical apparatus, such as an electric switch, having a rotary operating shaft II for controlling the switch mechanism.

According to the invention a switch handle I2 which comprises abody of resilient material such as rubber, or the like, is secured to the end of the shaft. The handle is provided with an index pointer I3 formed integrally with the body of the handle. A cavity I4 is formed within the body of the handle for the purpose of receiving the shaft I I. Disposed transversely of the cavity and secured to the body of the handle are a plurality of disk-like elements I5 and I6 which are spaced from each other along the wall of the cavity. The upper element I5 is shown in rectangular form by Fig. 4 and is provided with a threaded opening II. The lower element I6 is substantially rectangular in shape and is provided with a keyhole slot comprising an opening I8 and an adjoining keyway I9. In order to prevent movement of the disk relative to the body member, the lower disk I6 is provided with a plurality of extending arms 2|] for closely engaging and gripping the body of the handle. Similarly, the extending arms of the upper disk-like member I5 engage the walls of the body member to prevent rotation of the disk relative to the body of the handle. The switch shaft II is provided with a threaded end 2| for engagement with the threaded opening I! and a key 22 which is adapted to coact with the keyway I9 and prevent the turning of the shaft II relative to the disks I5 and I6 and the handle l2.

In assembling the handle I2 upon the shaft II, the shaft is inserted through the opening IB until the threaded end 2I engages the threaded opening II in the upper disk. After rotating the handle approximately a full turn the key 22 contacts the body portion of the lower disk l8. The handle I2 is now gripped at the base and pulled axially of the shaft'while being threaded in a fairlyrapid manner upon the shaft llwith the threaded end 2| entering the opening II. Inasmuch as the handle is being pulled axially of the shaft, the resilient rubber is compressed between the disks I6 and I5 permitting the end 2| to thread into the opening I! and, at the same time, preventing the key 22 from engaging the keyway I9. When the end of the shaft has been threaded into the upper disk a sufficient amount, threading of the handle upon the shaft is stopped, with the key 22 in alinement with the keyway I9, this position being shown by Fig. 2. In this position the compressed portion of the resilient body expands back into normal position pulling the key 22 within the keyway I9, as shown by Fig. 3.

By the construction of this invention it is possible to secure the handle to a shaft without the use of additional tools and without necessitating the use of holding springs within the body of the handle. The disks I5 and I6 are easily molded within the body portion of the handle to form a device which is manufactured at low cost and with a minimum of parts, Inasmuch as the body portion of the handle is made of a resilient material such as rubber, it will withstand rough usage without danger of breaking such as would be the case with a body portion formed of a nonresilient material.

To remove the handle from the shaft the handle is gripped at the base thereof and pulled axially of the shaft so that the disk I6 is moved toward the upper disk I5 and the resilient ma.- terial compressed between the disks. This places the keyway 22 below the disk I6 so that the handle may be readily rotated to unscrew it from the shaft. As the threaded end of the shaft is withdrawn from the opening I"! the upper disk I5 moves upwardly to relieve the compression of the resilient material.

While the disks I5 and I6 have been shown as rectangular in shape, it is obvious that they may assume other forms it being only necessary that they be held securely within the body portion of the handle to withstand the turning stresses incident to threading of the handle upon the shaft.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is: 5

1. A handle comprising a body of resilient material having a cavity therein adapted to receive a member to be operated by said handle, a plurality of elements secured to said body and disposed in spaced relationship in said cavity, one

of said elements having means for engaging a portion of said member to prevent relative rotational movement between said handle and said member, the other of said elements having means adapted to be secured to the end of said member to compress a portion of said body of resilient material between said members as said handle is mounted on said member whereby said compressed portion may return to normal position to cause said engaging means to engage a portion of said member.

2. A handle comprising a body of resilient material having a cavity therein, and means for connecting said handle to a member to be operated thereby, said means comprising spaced elements disposed in said cavity, one of said elements having a keyway for receiving a key on said memher, the other of said elements being adjustably threaded to said member whereby said body of resilient material is compressed as said member is threaded to said other element to pull said key within said keyway.

3. A handle adapted to be connected to a member having a key and a threaded end, comprising a body of resilient material, a disk having a threaded opening mounted in said body and. a second disk having a keyway secured in said body, said body being adapted to be compressed as said end is threaded into said threaded opening to pull said key into said keyway.

4. A handle adapted to be connected to a member having a key and a threaded end, comprising a body of resilient material having a cavity therein, an element in said cavity having a threaded opening therein, and a second element in said cavity spaced from said first element and having an opening and keyway in axial alinement with said threaded opening, said member extending through said opening with the threaded end engaging said threaded opening and said key engaging said second element, whereby said resilient body may be compressed between said elements as said member is threaded on said end, said resilient body expanding to normal position upon stopping of said threading movement to pull said key into said keyway.

FRED H. TRAVERS. 

